Method of and means for transportation



(No Model.) '3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. s. JOHNSON.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

No.461,535. PatentedOot.20,1891.-

83E 3 5Q eh '6 0 8 1T 1 F b 1% v N g 5 m \8 WEHB "Q fiver faw W MW (NoModel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- W. S. JOHNSON. METHOD OF AND MEANS FORTRANSPORTATION.

No. 461,535. Patented O0t.20, 1891.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

Patented Oct. 20', 1891.

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on, Circe rm: uoflms versus 120.. Puma-m UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

\VARREN S. JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, \VISOONSIN.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iPatent No. 461,535, dated October20, 1891.

I Application filed liovemher 6, 1890. Serial No. 370.576. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WARREN S. JOHNSON, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain Improvements inMethods of and Means for Transportation, of which the following is' aspecification.

Myinvention has in view more particularly the automatic and very rapidtransportation of mail and express matter and other light articles; andto this end it consists, essentially, in the combination of a road, way,or

guide of any suitable character extended between the objective points orstations, with a car or carrier movable freely thereover, chainberslocated at'frequentintervals along the line of the road and providedwith automatic means for the introduction and ignition of gas or otherexplosive, and means whereby the force of each explosion is applied tomaintain or increase the speed of the passing car. Under my system thecar is subjected automatically at frequent intervals to a strongpropelling-force, the effect of these frequent impulses being to impartto the same a high velocity. I prefer to construct the expansionchambersin the form of tubes, through which the cars pass, and to combine withthem antomatic devices whereby they are closed at the rear end duringthe passage of the car and the explosion effected therein at the sameinstant in orderthat the pressure of the gases may be applied directlyto the car to project the same from the chamber over the road to thenext succeeding chamber. It is to be distinctly understood, however,that the de tails of the apparatus employed for carrying my inventioninto effect may be greatly modified within the range of mechanical skilland without passing beyond the limits of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a sectionof my railway with a car therein. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same.Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing one construction of a switch. Fig. 4is a horizontal section on the line 4: l of Figs. 1, 5, 6, and 7,showing the car in the act of entering one of the propelling-chambers.Figs. 4 and 4 are similar sections showing, respectively, the manner inwhich the chamber is opened by the propelling-car and the manner inwhich the chamber is closed behind the car preparatory to the ignitionof the propelling-charge. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5of Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7. Fig. 6 isa cross-section on the line 6 6 ofFigs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7 7 of Figs. 4 and5. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the road, car,and propelling devices in modified form. Fig. 9 is a similar view withthe parts in diiferent positions. Fig. 10 is a cross-section on the line10 10, Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 11 is a cross-section on the line 11 ll,Figs. 8 and 9.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the road, way, or guide, whichmay be made of tubular or skeleton form and of any suitableconstruction, provided only it is adapted to guide the cars or carriers.In the form shown the way consists of two horizontal railways a and a,arranged one directly over the other and supported rigidly in standardsB at a suitable, distance apart to admit of the cars or carriers passingbetween them.

The car may be of any suitable form or construction, but is preferablymade of a cylindroconical form, with a space or chamber in the interiorto receive its load or cargo, and with two sustaining-wheels b to rideon the lower track-rail and a third andintermediate wheel 1) to ride onthe upper rail. The wheels are grooved to embrace the rails, and theparts are so constructed that the car may move freely and withoutinterruption over the line from one end to the other. Access may behinged door 6 in its top, or otherwise.

0 0 represent stationary tubular chambers, through which the track-railsextend and which are so formed that the cars may pass freely throughthem. These chambers are to be located at a greater or less distanceapart, according to the grade or inclination of the trolling conditions.Each chamber is provided at the rear end with two laterally-swingingvalves D D, carried .by arms d, pivoted at d and acted upon by springs dwhich tend to swing them inward, so that they will act to close the rearend of the chamber. These valves are provided with beveled ends (1projecting rearward in such manner that as a car approaches the chamberits conical had to the interior of the car by means of a road, theweight of the cars, and other conby the ear.

end will act between and against the arms (Z in the manner shown in Fig.4, thereby opening the valves, so that the car may advance between theminto the chamber, which is immediately closed again by the valves assoon as the rear end of the projectile has passed beyond them. In orderto insure the closing of the valves, they may be connected by links (1"with external levers d, the forward ends of which are projected throughopenings into the tube or chamber in such position that the advancingcar will separate them and cause them to close the valves. \Vith eachchamber is connected a pipe E for supplying combustible gas thereto froma main E or any other suitable source. The admission of gas iscontrolled by a valve 6, connected through an elbow-lever c and rod 6with a trip-lever e projecting into the tubular chamber in position tobe encountered by the car, which acts to open the valve and admit gas assoon as the main valves have closed the rear end of the chamber. Theclosure of the gas-supply valve after the car has passed the leverc iseffected by a spring 0. The gas-supply pipe E is provided with aperforated portion 6 communicating with the atmosphere. As the car iscarried by its momentum forward through the chamber it produces asuction which causes the air to flow inward, mingle with the gas, andenter the chamber therewith. I employ either carbureted hydrogen gas orany other gas which combined with air will form an explosive mixture. Ata forward point I provide the chamber with an opening F, and adjacent tothis opening 1 locate a gas-burner G, connected with the main by pipe gand giving a constant flame adjacent to the opening.

The action is as follows: The car being forcibly projected toward thechamber opens the valves, which are immediately closed behind the car.As the car continues its advance it acts on the lever e and causes theexplosive mixture of gas andair to enter and fill the chamber in rear ofthe car. During this action the opening F is covered and closed As thecar continues its advance its rear end finally passes and uncovers theopening, whereupon the suction produced'by the forward motion of the carcauses the flame to be drawn inward,the effect of which is to ignite thecharge, which, acting with an explosive effect and generating a highpressure within the closed end of the chamber, acts to project or propelthe car from the forward end of the chamber and forward over the trackata high velocity. The momentum of the car is such that, passing overthe intervening portion of the road, it enters the next chamber, whereit is again subjected to the action of a propellingcharge, and so onrepeatedly. By properly controlling the admission of the gas and thedistance between the chambers I am enabled to propel the car with greatvelocity and at a practically uniform rate of speed. The successiveimpulses applied at frequent intervals will cause the car to pass overthe line and through the various chambers with asmooth and easy action.

In order to prevent stoppage of the car in the event of a charge failingto ignite, and in order the better to maintain a uniform ve locity, Irecommend the employment of a charge sufficient to propel the car to thesec ond chamber beyond.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the essence of myinvention resides in combining with a track or guide and a car movablethereover automatic devices (listributed along the line forsecuringexplosive action and applyingtheenergy developed by such explosives tothe propulsion of the car, and the skilled mechanic will understand thatwhile the details above described will give the desired results they maybe greatly modified in form and arrangement without departing from thespirit of my invention.

In order that the scope of the invention may be the more fullyunderstood, Ihave represented in Figs. 8 to 11 another form ofpropelling devices. In these figures the car and the road or way overwhich it travels are constructed in essentially the same manner as inthe preceding figures; but the propellingchambers, instead of inclosingthe track, so

that the projectiles will pass through them,

are arranged, as shown at c, beneath the track, each chamberbcing fixedin position permanently closed at its rear end and provided with apiston 0 This piston has its rod 0 provided with cross-heads 0, havingguides 0 parallel with the track. The crosshead carries a bar 0,suitably guided to reciprocate lengthwise of the lower track-rail aboveastationary rail 0 The reciprocating bar 0 carries a dog 0, urged upwardby a spring 0. As the car advances this dog yields before it, as shownin Fig. 8, but finally springs upward engages behind and against thecar, as in Fig. 9. A gas-pipe E opens into the rear end of the chamberor cylinder and is provided with a valve e, closed by a spring-actuatedlever e, and opened by a rod 6 connected to lever e in the path of thecar, so that as the car ad- ,vances it opens the valve and admits gas tothe chamber. This lever 6 corresponds to or is the equivalent of thelever c in the firstdeseribed form of apparatus. The gas-supply pipe isprovided, as in the first instance, with the perforated portion 6through which atmospheric air'is drawn to mingle with the gas in thechamber. In order to give an initial forward movement to the piston andthus draw the gas' and air into the cylinder, an angular dog It ispivoted to the reciprocating bar 0 and arranged to ride at one end onthe stationary rail 0 before mentioned. A

shoulder h at the forward end of the car acts against the dog and causesthe latter to carry the bar 0 forward, and thereby move the pistonforward until the dog it reaches the front end of the rail 0 when it ispermitted to fall out of the path of the car, as shown in Fig. 9. Aspring g or equivalent means for applying a light pressure will be usedto return the piston and other parts to their normal conditions afterthe passage of the car. The cylinder is provided like the chamber in thefirst example with an opening or lightingport F and with a burner Goutside of said opening to maintain a constant flame. As the carapproaches the chamber it overrides the dog 0 which rises and engagesbehind the same. Before this engagement occurs, however, the car acts onlever 6 opens the gas-valve, and, acting against dog h, forces thepiston ahead, causing the air and gas to be drawn into the cylinder.Immediately after the propelling-dog c engages behind the car, as inFig. 9, the piston advances beyond and uncovers the gas-inlet F,whereupon the flame causes the ignition of the gas and the result isthat the piston is forced suddenly forward,

carrying with it the propelling-dog and cans-' ing the car to beimpelled or projected to the next station or propelling device.

While I prefer to employ a lighting-flame, it is to be understood that Imay employ an electric-lighting device, such as is commonly used ingas-engines or any other devices used in the art for like purposes.

A series of chambers along the line of the road may be supplied with gasfrom a single main or otherwise supplied, as the judgment of theconstructer may dictate, and in place of gas I propose to employ in somecases powder or other explosive mixtures. The employment of anygasproducing explosive falls within the limit of my invention.

A road constructed on my plan may be pro vided with switches, turn-outs,or laterals of any suitable character. In Fig. 3 I have shown the maintrack as connected with a hand-lever and adapted for lateral vibration,so that it may be connected at will with either of the two tracks shownon the left hand in said figure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. The method ofmaintaining the movement of a car along a track or way, consisting incausing the car to effect at suitableintervals in its course theignition of independently-confined explosive charges and applying theexplosive force of each charge independently to advance the car.

2. The method of propelling a car over an open way or track, consistingin subjecting the same while in motion to the force of successiveexploding charges, acting upon the car each independently to propel thecar to the next.

3. In combination with a car movable thereover, a railway provided atintervals with explosion-chambers, automatic devices actuated by the carto introduce and ignite an explosive in said chambers successively, andmeans whereby the explosive force is applied to propel the car.

4. Atransporting system comprisingatrack or Way, a car movabletherethrough, a series of tubular chambers through which the cars passlocated at intervals along the track, antomatic devices for closing eachchamber at its rear end during the passage of the car therethrough, andautomatic devices for delivering and igniting an explosive within thechamber that it may act to propel the cars.

5. A way or track, a car movable thereover, a tubular chamber throughwhich the car passes, a valve mechanism controlled by the car to closethe rear end of the chamber, a valve actuated by the car for admittingan explosive gas into the chamber behind the car, an igniting-flame, anda lighting-port, through which the flame acts, adapted to be covered andclosed by the car.

6. In combination with a way or track, the car, and theexplosion-chamber through which the car passes, and the valve to closethe rear end of the chamber, provided with arms acted upon by the car toopen the valve.

7. In combination with the track, the car, and the tubular chamberthrough which the car passes, the valves to close the rear end of saidchamber, and the arms to close said valve, adapted to be actuated by theadvancing car, whereby the car is caused to close the chamber behind it.

8. In combination with the car and the chamber through which-the carpasses, means for closing the same, the gas-supply pipe, and anair-inlet whereby the advance of the car is caused to draw air and gasinto the chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my \VARREN S. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

MAUDE L. EMERY, L. F. FISH.

